


Twenty Questions (But Not Really)

by xxxbookaholic



Series: The Line Between Past And Present (Mastermind Shuichi Universe) [4]
Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Different Mastermind (Dangan Ronpa), Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, DICE is mentioned - Freeform, Dialogue Heavy, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Mastermind Saihara Shuichi, Pre-Game Personalities (New Dangan Ronpa V3), Pre-Game Saihara Shuichi, Simulator AU, Virtual Reality, kind of, pre game kokichi is mentioned briefly, shuichi's parents and aunt are mentioned briefly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:47:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27620230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxxbookaholic/pseuds/xxxbookaholic
Summary: “What was DICE like?” Shuichi asked, dragging a brush through Kokichi’s hair.“You don’t have to ask,” Kokichi laughed, tilting his head just slightly. Shuichi couldn’t see his expression, but he could already guess what he looked like; blank. He was like that whenever anyone brought up something more on the personal side.“I know,” Shuichi said, not stopping his brushing for a second. “But I want to hear it from you.”orKokichi has helped Shuichi through so much since the killing game ended; Shuichi wants to repay the favor.
Relationships: Oma Kokichi & Saihara Shuichi, Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi
Series: The Line Between Past And Present (Mastermind Shuichi Universe) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1998058
Comments: 1
Kudos: 131





	Twenty Questions (But Not Really)

**Author's Note:**

> T/W:  
> briefly mentions su/cide. it's only in one sentence and not referred to as such, but that's what it is implied to be. 
> 
> This is a continuation of my Mastermind Shuichi au! Please read the other fics before this one!

“What was DICE like?” Shuichi asked, dragging a brush through Kokichi’s hair. This had become a routine for them; it was comforting and familiar, something that many things in the hospital they were stationed in was not.

“You don’t have to ask,” Kokichi laughed, tilting his head just slightly. Shuichi couldn’t see his expression, but he could already guess what he looked like; blank. He was like that whenever anyone brought up something more on the personal side. Still, Shuichi knew Kokichi couldn’t run forever. He’d picked and chosen answers as far away from Kokichi’s past for far enough.

“I know,” Shuichi said, not stopping his brushing for a second. “But I want to hear it from you.”

It was true that he didn’t have to ask. He had made DICE with his own hands, crafting it with just the tip of a pencil and an eraser. But, some things were out of his own control, so he assumed that DICE must have been too.

Kokichi stayed silent for a while, but Shuichi didn’t pry. He’d have as much time as he needed to ask whenever; why should he pressure him now?

“They were family to me,” Kokichi suddenly said, his voice lacking any of his usual mischief. “We did everything together. Ate together, performed heists together, laughed together. I remember we painted the masks we always wore together, too.”

Shuichi hummed, signaling him to go on.

“Huh? You expect me to say more? That’s not fair, Shumai!”

He stopped his brushing. “Then what would you consider is fair?”

“I’m _so_ glad you asked!” Kokichi was seemingly back to normal, loud and over the top. “Let’s play twenty questions. You already asked me something, so now I get to ask you something.”

Shuichi continued brushing Kokichi’s hair, trying to get the knots out as painlessly as possible. “I didn’t ask you a yes or no question, though, so this isn’t twenty questions.”

“It is, in a literal sense! We go back and forth asking each other twenty questions. _Anyways_ ,” he sang, “what was your family like?”

“Well, my uncle – “ he began.

“Nope!” Kokichi piped up, sitting up straight and almost knocking the brush to the ground. “Not the Shumai you pretended to be. What is your real family like?”

“Oh,” Shuichi muttered. “They weren’t really anything. My parents moved to America to chase their dreams when I was in middle school. Sometimes my aunt would come over for Christmas and that was about it.”

“Wow, your life is pathetic!” Kokichi said. He clearly didn’t mean it; his voice was dripping with sympathy. “Didn’t you have any siblings or did they all leave you, too?”

“I never had any. Lived alone most of the time.”

Kokichi waited for him to continue, and when he didn’t, he said, “alright, your turn to ask a question!”

“What did you really think of the killing game?” Shuichi asked, setting the brush on the bedside table when he was satisfied with his work. Kokichi spun around, a grin plastered onto his face.

“It was so much fun! Really, the best thing I’ve ever participated in!” Upon scanning Shuichi’s unimpressed face, he said, “but that’s a lie. A game isn’t any fun when you’re the pawn.”

Figures.

“So, Shumai, did you do detective work in the past or was that all a lie?”

“That was a lie,” Shuichi shrugged. “I guess I’m no better than you. Detective characters just happened to be my favorite in Danganronpa, so that’s the ultimate I chose.”

“Oh, did past-Kokichi choose my ultimate? That’s my third question, by the way, if your tiny civilian brain couldn’t comprehend that.” He referred to pre-killing-game Kokichi as a totally different person, most likely for Shuichi’s comfort than his own. Silently, he thanked him.

“No,” he replied. “It was assigned to him. He always told me that he wanted to be the Ultimate Artist. Ouma liked painting and origami. Sometimes he did graffiti on playground slides and church walls.”

“Sounds like me!” Kokichi joked.

Shuichi scrunched his nose. “Debatable. Why did you choose to kill yourself?” This was one of the few times Kokichi was being vulnerable with him, so he was going to use it to his advantage.

Kokichi didn’t even wait a second before answering, “I wanted to die because of my own choice, not the choice of a mechanical teddy bear. Do you know how the rest of rehab is going to go? Will we be allowed to leave?”

“Yeah, I do,” Shuichi replied, thinking back to all of the paperwork and forms he had to sign before entering the killing game simulator. “We’ve been here for about three months now. It’ll be another month, and then everyone with decent mental health will be allowed to leave. They should give us a choice about whether or not we live in our old, real homes or new apartments. They’ll pay for rent for a total of three years if we choose the apartment.”

“Yeah, I’m definitely living in an apartment,” Kokichi said, grimacing. “I don’t want to see the weird shit I used to own.”

Shuichi felt the urge to argue – Ouma wasn’t weird – he had to admit that it would be weird to him, as well. The Ouma in the past and the Kokichi now were completely different. He’d like it to stay that way. “I’m going to stay in my old home,” he said. “After all, I haven’t changed.”

“Don’t say that,” Kokichi said, uncharacteristically serious. “If you were given the choice to put us all back into a killing game, would you?”

“No, of course not.”

“Then you’ve changed, haven’t you?”

Shuichi smiled shakily and decided to leave out the fact that Ouma had been the one to suggest auditioning for Danganronpa in the first place. Kokichi didn’t need that on his conscience.

“How did you – “ Shuichi began his next question, only to get cut off by Kokichi clambering off his bed and stretching. “Okay, I’m hungry! Let’s go get lunch!” He laughed, making his way to the door.

“But you said – “

“Huh? Said what? I’m mute, I can’t talk,” Kokichi giggled. “Geez, Saihara-chan, you’re so stupid. I’ve told you time and time again.”

“But you’re talking right now?” Shuichi pointed out, but got up all the same. He reached out to grab his hat off the table but hesitated, hand hovering over the familiar black cap.

“Potato, potahto. Are you going to grab that hat, or are you going to stand there like an idiot?”

Shuichi snatched the hat off the table but, instead of setting it on his own head, placed it onto Kokichi’s. “Here,” he smiled, tugging the brim down a little further. “You’ve seemed kind of sad since I mentioned DICE.”

“So?” Kokichi asked, bringing his hand up to touch the hat hesitantly. “What does your emo hat have anything to do with DICE?”

“Wearing that hat makes me feel calmer, so maybe it can help you, too.” He grabbed Kokichi’s hand, tugging him out of the hospital room. “Come on, let’s go. You did say you were hungry, didn’t you? Or was that a lie?”

After a few more seconds of standing around, Kokichi leaped to action, beginning their trek to the cafeteria. “I hate liars, Shumai! How could you accuse me of something so cruel?” But despite his angry tone, when Shuichi turned to gauge his expression, he was smiling and teary-eyed.

Shuichi didn’t mention it; just continued moving. Kokichi didn’t let go of his hand, so he didn’t either.

When he closed his eyes, he could almost imagine they were walking on top of a roof at sunset and not down a suffocatingly white hallway at noon.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! I know that it's short but this idea has been bouncing around in my head for a while and I wanted to get it published. Plus, I haven't updated this series in a while. Kokichi's relationship with DICE is oddly special to me, so I wanted to reflect on that. Also, Shuichi explaining how the rest of rehab will go is foreshadowing for future fics, lmao.   
> Eventually, I want to write a fic in Maki's perspective as well. I have a lot of ideas for how she'd react to this situation, so I want to get that down.   
> If you liked the fic, make sure to leave a comment and kudos! It keeps me writing. If you're interested in my work, consider checking out my tumblr (xxxbookaholic). I mainly post about A3! with a side dish of Danganronpa (mostly oumasai).   
> Have a nice rest of your day/night!


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